Ezra stood, arms crossed, in the hallway of the high school speaking with Timothy Greens about the assigned reading. He was explaining the chapters when a swish of brown curls caught his eye. He knew these curls. He had run his fingers through them and inhaled their intoxicating scent many times as he kiss the girl they were attached to.

Aria stormed her way down the hallway making only short eye contact with Ezra. She looked like a force to be reckoned with.

As she past him, carrying her familiarly fragrance with her, he watched, his eyes never wavering. She rounded the corner to the male locker room and the hair on the back of Ezra's neck stood up; alerting him that something was not right. He paused, looked back at Aria's brother with whom she has just been briefly speaking too and then looked off down the hall where Aria had just disappeared.

He took off; his long legs carrying him swiftly down the corridor towards the male locker room. As he entered the room he was greeted with the aroma of sweat and steam. He began to pick up on the conversation coming from the changing room.

"…you and Mr. Fitz weren't just scrabble buddies." Male laughter rumbled.

"Excuse me?' Aria's shrill voice was offended and laced with the undertone of hurt.

Ezra breached the corner and stood with the scene before him. Arian faced a new boy that had come to the high school. Ezra now noticed what she was wearing. A turquoise skirt with a black Rhine-stoned top tucked into the waist. The top scooped down in the back, exposing Aria's upper back where her curls bounced.

The boy answered her "How many points for the word 'Slut'?"

Aria stared for a moment in disbelief then spun to leave, finding herself staring at the man she loved in this moment of sheer embarrassment. The room fell silent. All eyes were on Ezra and Aria.

It took every mussel in Ezra's body to stand there and not embrace Aria. He shook visibly with the task.

"Ms. Montgomery, you shouldn't be in here." Ezra was able to spit out, the teacher in him kicking back in.

She pursed her lips, never breaking eye contact, and then sauntered out of the locker room. Ezra dropped him eyes as she passed him. Trying to regain his self-control.

Then there was nothing between him and the boy. Ezra seethed with pure unadulterated rage. He wanted to throw the boy up against the locker he stood in front of and beat his frustrations out. He wanted the boy who hurt the woman he loved to hurt even more. There was a fleeting second where Ezra gave up his future. His career. His life. All in the pursuit of harming the person who hurt Aria. And then, his self-control was regained and he found it, somewhere deep in his being, to turn and walk away from the boy.

Ezra fumed as he walked down the stairwell to get back to his class. He turned the platform and found Aria sitting on the next flight with her head in her hands.

"Are you ok?" he asked. He knew as soon as he said it how dumb the question was.

Aria shut her eyes and shook her head.

"What happened in there? Before I came in." Ezra moved down the stairs so he could stand in front of her. He grabbed the railing for stability and also so he did not start swinging at the first person who came by.

"Aria, those guys are jerks. You can't just let some stupid rumor get to you." He said.

She finally spoke, "It's not just 'some stupid rumor' if there's some truth to it, Ezra."

He stepped back.

"Look, you can't be the guy who helps me feel better anymore. Don't you get that?" she shuffled her back around and stood up.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"Just stay away from me, please." Aria put her hand up stop him. Then she was gone. He wanted to grab her and hug her. But instead he watched her stamp off down the hallway.